ZnO thin film was initially deposited on InP substrate by radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering and the diffusion process was performed using the closed ampoule technique where Zn3P2 was used as the dopant source. To verify the junction formation of ZnO thin films, the electrical properties were measured, and the effects of Zn3P2 diffusion on ZnO thin films were investigated. It is observed that the electrical property of the film is changed from n-type to p-type by dopant diffusion effect. Based on the results, it is confirmed that ZnO thin films can be a potential candidate for ultraviolet (UV) optical devices. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.